Insects...

[Cal]

Spiders are beautiful and they create beautiful webs too. Respect to spiders!

i respect all life and will go out of my way to not kill ANYTHING no matter how small or insignificant it may be

I never kill insects or 'creepie crawlies'.

I think ants are great ...... I am forever rescuing them from my cats.

So many wonderful vegans!

We rescue the poor bees, who seem to be attracted to the sea, on the beach near home. Often when we are walking we see them struggling in the wet sand at the water's edge. A move to a dry, sunny spot on a bush or similar enables them to dry out and clean up!!

[Cal]

For the most part, I don't kill bugs. I have a few exceptions. One is centipedes. They bite and are somewhat venomous. They could hurt my cat or other pets. So, I do kill them if they come in the house. I don't bother the ones that I see outside. Actually, I don't hurt any bugs outdoors. I'm bothered by the fact so many die on my car windshield when driving at night. It's depressing.

The other exception are the insects I feed to my other pets. I have a few small lizards and a pink-toe tarantula. They are obligate insectivores. They only eat food if it is moving. So, I buy them crickets. The crickets are well taken care of and seem to be happy, up until the moment they are eaten.

I hope that isn't too gruesome for you folks.

Cheers,
rant

So why not catch and relocate the centipedes that come inside?

I guess feeding crickets to your lizards and tarantula is no more gruesome than feeding slaughtered animals to other companion animals. The crickets probably have a better life than the farmed animals. Having said that, I couldn't actually imagine handing over the live crickets to be eaten, it would be too upsetting for me!!

[antman]

Anyone else get strange looks when you're rescuing or helping out insects? People often stare as if I'm weird when I'll suddenly stop walking and coerce an insect that has landed on me to step onto my finger, and then go round looking for a leaf or suchlike for it to crawl onto.

And, of course, there's;

"But it's wasting your a time a bit, isn't it? be quicker just to flick it away."
"Oh yeah, I'm gonna 'save' a few seconds. What are you going to do with those seconds? Nothing. I just saved a life. Screw you."

[Cal]

Anyone else get strange looks when you're rescuing or helping out insects?

Yes, all the time!!

[rantipole]

So why not catch and relocate the centipedes that come inside?

I'm kinda afraid of getting bitten. It's weird, because I'm not like that with any other animals, including some that are more likely to bite. I've handled tarantulas, scorpions, and all manner of other "creepy" animals, but centipedes really creep me out. I should make the effort to get them out of the apartment, I know.

I always escort other creatures outside.

Cheers,
rant

[Mozbee]

UK centipedes and milipedes are friendlier!

[Kumem]

Centipedes, milipedes, wood lice, earwigs, cockroaches (the worst), freak me out big time. I am trying to get over it, but I cannot do gardening in case I see them. I pull weeds out with my eyes closed if I have to.
I am allergic to bee and wasps stings, so go a little crazy if there are wasps around (arms flailing, lots of screaming and running away). Why do people always say, "stand still." Last time I did that I got stung by a wasp and half my body swelled up

[Mozbee]

Woodlice are wonderful they are like little echoes of the prehistoric era I love them!
Sadly I've not encountered too many cockroaches, but but they're just another beetle only a bit bigger - they deserve a wow! on site

Sorry to hear about your sting allergy Kumen. I might be allergic who knows, I hope I never find out, wasps, hoverflies etc seem very organised insects as do bees but bees have the added quality - they're cute!

[puffin]

Woodlice are wonderful they are like little echoes of the prehistoric era I love them!

Woodlice give me the creaps to, it started when i had to move loads of bricks that were used as edging in my old house, there were so many of them crawling around and i just felt sick after. Yuk
Good to see your bee back very cute

[Evilfluffbunny]

I never kill bugs intentionally and always try to watch where I step as well. I do feel really bad when loads of them get killed on the car, but my village isn't within walking distance of anywhere so I'd be stuck without it.

I feel like a hypocrite, because on one hand, I feel that a life is a life, no matter what size, species etc and I think it's wrong to kill an insect if you don't 'have' to. At the same time though, I know I feel less guilty about the bugs on the windshield than I would if we accidentally killed a frog (there's always loads of frogs on the roads here) and I'd feel even worse still if we killed a cat or dog....

It sounds speciesist, but I suppose it's just human nature, after all I'd feel awful if we ever killed a pedestrian but I'd feel a million times worse if that pedestrian happened to be a family member. It doesn't mean that I would think that a stranger is 'less important' or has less right to live though.

[Mozbee]

Apparently Morrissey is missed too

[puffin]

Sorry but morrissey just isnt as cute

[Kumem]

It sounds speciesist, but I suppose it's just human nature, after all I'd feel awful if we ever killed a pedestrian but I'd feel a million times worse if that pedestrian happened to be a family member. It doesn't mean that I would think that a stranger is 'less important' or has less right to live though.

Couldn't agree more.
I went off earwigs when I took my yukka plant outside to bask in the sun. When I went to bring it back in, I accidentally dropped. Hundreds (probably exaggerating there ) came out. I started screaming and ran inside and burst out crying. It just freaked me out

I like Bee's. Even though allergic, they are sweet creatures that rarely sting. My Mum rescued one from inside my friend's dress when she was a kid. My friend was freaking out, the bee was caught in the two elastic bits between the top and bottom of the arm. It never stung her

Rambling...

[Mozbee]

The bee will have been panicing more.

[Kumem]

The bee will have been panicing more.

Ooh, I dunno, you should have seen me and my friend lol.

I was screaming "Mum save the bee" and my friend was hysterically crying and wouldn't stop moving, which can't have helped.
We were only 10 though.

[harpy]

I was screaming "Mum save the bee"

Aww!

[Realfood Mary]

Ditto.

What a nice kid.

[Helga]

Those with phobia can try talking to the insects. Just tell them that you do not want to harm them and ask them to go away. It really works! No, they didn't actually go away, but I lost my fear of them . I had fear of spiders and roaches (we have really big ones here).

[Nivvie]

Oohhkay, well, if talking doesn't work, you could always try tempting them.

I have an ant situation this year, I'm not sure why, but this year there's tons of them.
So I stuck some crumblemd up biscuits outside the door, then the next day moved them further, and now they've started a nest in the driveway, that I don't care about. I put down the odd bit of food, and it seems to stop them coming in.

I have the same situation with the mouse in the garage. I put some rabbit food on the grass at the end of the garden, and I see him out there taking it. I even startled him once, but the key thing is he doesn't need to come into the house loooking for food.

[puffin]

.

I have the same situation with the mouse in the garage. I put some rabbit food on the grass at the end of the garden, and I see him out there taking it. I even startled him once, but the key thing is he doesn't need to come into the house loooking for food.

I have a mouse or two in my garage, they have never tried to come in (yet). I saw it in the garden the other day and my little one loved watching it from the window. It helped itself to the bin bag the other week, and took out some party food left over from my sons birthday, it seemed to enjoy the crisps. I have learnt never to be lazy and not put the bin bag in the bin because you will spend ages clearing up the mess.
Right ants, didnt snaffler say once on here that he used peppermint oil near the nest and that they didnt like the smell so moved on, but dont put it on the nest just near enough so they can smell it.

[Cherry]

I couldn't kill anything deliberately (work with children and luckily haven't caught nits yet!), although I don't worry too much about killing very very small things accidentally. Unless it's because I wasn't careful enough.



When I was about 17 I had a mouse in my bedroom! Although it was a pain because it was so noisy (mice are NOT quiet - they rustle things too much) it was definitely still fascinating to watch. In the end I tempted it into a humane mouse trap with some chocolate.

[Dome]

What do ya'll think about killing bugs? Personally, I don't do it, I think it's evil to kill something just because it's bothering you or even if it's just there. I sure wouldn't kill my brother if he was bothering me...of course, some bug-killings are unavoidable...but say if a bug WAS there and "bothering" you, would you kill it?

I'm glad you asked that question. It is good to remember that human life is far more advanced and worthy of survival than a lowly insect that mindlessly crawls in filth. I kill insects without compunction. I just offer them to Shiva the Hindu god who saves all life forms, no matter how lowly. Harsh as it may sound, any animal, insect or microscopic life form that threatens human life must be isolated or exterminated.

The "Essene Gospel of Peace" addresses this issue too. You can read it online for free. Just do a search in Google.

I will say, and this is the God's truth, I am even compassionate with little bugs and will catch them and throw them outside if I can, except for damned cockroaches. You see them in a beach town like this. I stamp them out. Spiders I leave alone, because they leave me alone and catch flying insects.

[Cherry]

[QUOTE=Dome] I kill insects without compunction. I just offer them to Shiva the Hindu god who saves all life forms, no matter how lowly, silly as that may sound. Harsh as it may sound, any animal, insect or microscopic life form that threatens human life must be exterminated. QUOTE]

The Shiva thing isn't silly at all. I'm not a Buddhist but I say a Tara mantra if I ever squish anybody accidentally. However I personally find it alarming when people deliberately kill any animal without compunction.

Insects are somewhat more advanced than bacteria, and besides, they seldom threaten human life. I do value human life over the life of an animal, but I value the animal's life as well. It wouldn't be right for people to exterminate whole species of insect just because we see them as a nuisance.

Rujoon - I once asked a bee to leave and it flew straight out of the window!! Maybe your method works, although you're definitely a lunatic

[tipsy]

i dont belive that it is right to kill any insects, but i have a mortal fear of spiders. i wont occupy a room in my house, because i saw a spider in there two weeks ago....i figure by this point in time it has reproduced and the whole 15X15 room is covered in spiders, webs, and dead flies..... (its really too bad, because my sewing machine is in there)...

i know this is rediculous, but i cant help it.

i felt really bad the other day, because i got stung by a bumble bee and i knew it was going to die (because it stung me).

[miss_laura]

I must admit I do everything in my power to avoid killing any insects, even to the point where I can't walk across grass without wondering how many things my feet are crushing (though I don't let it affect me too much). It is weird, I know; I just can't separate different animals in terms of the validity of their lives.

I really like spiders, they're intelligent and extremely sensitive little creatures. I don't mind picking them up and tossing them into the garden, but it's purely because I'm afraid someone else in the house might kill them if I don't.

The one exception to this is when I went to Kielder forest in Northumberland - there were biting midges everywhere, and you literally couldn't leave the tent without being assaulted by a black cloud of the little feckers, biting your arms, neck, hands, legs, scalp, or any other exposed skin. In the end I was so tormented by them that I bought a big can of Raid and committed genocide on the bastards. And I'm not sorry.

[mememe]

Are your methods for getting rid of flies from your house applicable to moths as well, or are there any special methods for shooing these moths out? I seem to have a fair few in my house, (despite not having wool here!) and I really need to get rid of them. I have heard lavender is good. In what form - fresh, bagged, oil? What else? All tips appreciated. I keep a clean house and I can't understand what is attracting them here. They are little moths, about the size of houseflies, so not those big ones like butterflies. Will they eat my clothes, even though they are not wool? What nutrition do they get from clothes anyway??? Help please.
Oh, and what do moth balls do (no rude jokes please!). Are they cruel, or do they just deter moths?

[Pob]

http://www.the-piedpiper.co.uk/th8a.htm

Some info on clothes moths.
Probably the moths you have are just attracted to light and come in through open windows.

Edit - different link

[mememe]

Thanks, Rob. I don't know, they all seem to hover upstairs, (i.e. where my clothes are) and not downstairs, and I only usually leave the downstairs windows and doors open, do they just fly upwards? I feel a bit queasy after looking through that site, all those moth eggs, sorry, but eurgh. Are they in my carpets? I think I need to rip them out now and get wood flooring. I will light oil burners with lavender, eucalyptus and peppermint, I hope they will hate the small rather than love the flame!

[Pob]

One thing I did read - you are not very likely to see clothes moths flying around. Unless you've seen holes in stuff, I wouldn't worry too much.
Also clothes moths aren't attracted to lights.

[mememe]

Thanks. Not noticed holes in anything (except where I am supposed to put my head and arms! ), but it's still a worry having them in my house. I worry about them now being in my bed and the eggs being in my mattress and everything.

[adam antichrist]

One thing I did read - you are not very likely to see clothes moths flying around. Unless you've seen holes in stuff, I wouldn't worry too much.
Also clothes moths aren't attracted to lights.

clothes moth... is that the scientific name???

[tails4wagging]

Do they wear clothes??

[Pob]

Wonder what they would be called if found in a naturist's home?

[Mozbee]

Pube moths!!!

[Pob]

Help - I'm surrounded by fruit flies. We get loads as we live near orchards.

Normally they don't bug us much - we keep fruit out of their way.

They seem to be attracted by beer, though, so a peaceful drink is out the question

Least they don't sting or bite, but it is worrying that I might swallow them by accident.

[mophoto]

does anyone know a natural way to get rid of fruit flies? they seem to live in my garbage disposal. i poured vinegar down the drain, didn't work. i removed all the veggies off my counter. why do they hate me??

[Geoff]

'Fruit flies' are also known as 'vinegar flies' so I doubt that vinegar would deter them!
What's wrong with them anyway?

'Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana' Groucho Marx.

[mophoto]

i just don't like to prepare food with the flies looming about. vinegar... that's why there seem to be more.

[FR]

Apparently, the larve live in many of the skins of the veggies and fruits we eat. Once we peel them off, and they sit in the garbage or a disposal, they evolve into the actual flies. That sucks knowing we probably eat a ton of fruit fly larve... gross.

[foxytina_69]

ew

[Tigerlily]

Will washing help?

Is that why they recommend even washing the fruits you peel?

[Gliondrach]

Citronella might help. Burning the oil or wiping various surfaces with it.

[Wildflower]

I was just going to post the same question! I have been keeping my bananas on the balcony but i think it is geting too cold and now the fruit flies are taking over.

The problem I have with them is that they land in my drinks and die - while I am trying ro drink them! They also follow me while I eat and attack my face.

Once my bananas are gone, they are gone. I know I don't rinse my bananas, but they live in my garbage disposal too. My boyfriend says they go there for water. I am not sure how vegan you consider this, but cutting of their water supply will work. Maybe just keep the sink plugged and no wet dishes around? They try to infest my bathroom too, so you may want to keep that dry too.

[sugarmouse]

I have ants aswell.i feel soooo guilty if i kill one or put one in danger by mistake but apart from that i dont mind them being here at all
over the last month a couple of times a beetle type bug has gone into my bath whislt ive been runnnin the water n drownedi hate that.]
i wont kill anything...i think every creature has a right to exist and do what they will,without any interference.

[Alvin Carrier]

Birds have to eat insects, don't they? That's why I go to great lengths to save insects. I bicycle five miles to work and back, because it will kill fewer bugs. I've even walked the same distance many times. Now and then, you run into someone who surprises you by saying he/she refuses to kill a bug. Once a hunter told me he tended to walk around ants rather than step on them! "They're ugly" is not a rational reason to kill a bug.

I know there's a "capital punishment" thread somewhere, and I don't want to get started on that one! But if you don't believe in killing someone who murdered a child, how can you believe in killing a creature whose only "crime" is being ugly, being small, getting in your way, etc.?

[Xenius13]

Has anyone ever tried one of those sonic repellent devices? Do those things even work?

[Stu]

Has anyone ever tried one of those sonic repellent devices? Do those things even work?

Yes. No.

[Haniska]

It's so funny that Google keeps sending back up on this site every time I have a vegan query.
On today's plate:
I've never been one to rinse vegetables *laffs* but the other day I bought some organic kale and it had little gray dying(?) bugs all over it.
What do you guys do/feel about bugs on greens?
Rinsing them down the drain seems a bit hypocritical. Taking them outside to rinse them seems a bit extreme.
Meanwhile they sit in my fridge while I decide what to do. *pouts*

[Maisiepaisie]

I've only ever seen caterpillars that were still alive and I just put them outside. Not sure what I'd do if there were loads of bugs though. I don't think I'd want to eat it so maybe put the whole thing outside.

[Tigerlily]

It's so funny that Google keeps sending back up on this site every time I have a vegan query.
On today's plate:
I've never been one to rinse vegetables *laffs* but the other day I bought some organic kale and it had little gray dying(?) bugs all over it.
What do you guys do/feel about bugs on greens?
Rinsing them down the drain seems a bit hypocritical. Taking them outside to rinse them seems a bit extreme.
Meanwhile they sit in my fridge while I decide what to do. *pouts*

The ones on my veggies are always dead, so after I freak out over bugs in produce (), I rinse them under the sink.